


Let's Not Pretend

by nyghtrain



Category: Free!
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 04:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3516212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyghtrain/pseuds/nyghtrain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’re all pretending and it’s tearing them up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Not Pretend

Makoto was about to open his eyes when he heard it.

 

"I love you, you know."

 

Makoto froze and he had to work to not gasp out loud. Instead he kept his breathing even, his eyes close. Vaguely he tried to piece together where he was and what was happening. It came to him in pieces. Nagisa had spiked his drink and Makoto had always been a bit of a light-weight. He went upstairs to lie down and... and none of it explained why Sousuke was here, in the dark, telling him he loved him.

 

"Don't get me wrong," Sousuke said. "I love Rin too. I would never hurt him. Not ever." He got quiet.

 

Makoto listened to his breath coming in and out. He could almost feel Sousuke's thoughts pressing against his skin. Sousuke let out a frustrated groan.

 

"How the hell did I let it get this far? I'm loyal to Rin. I love him, but there was Nanase and now you." He laughed bitterly. "I just wanted...I just wanted to tell you, even if you can't hear me."

 

There was a silence that filled the room then Sousuke let out a growl. "What the hell am I doing?" Then he abruptly stood up and walked out of the room.

 

Makoto waited a long time before he opened his eyes. He listened to the sound of his breath and stared into the dark room. The sounds of the party thrummed below him, but the sounds of Sousuke's words were louder.

 

\---

 

"Haru, d-did something happen between you and Sousuke-kun?"

 

Makoto was helping Haru clean up the house after the party last night and had spending the last hour trying to work up the courage to ask him about Sousuke.

 

There was silence from where Haru was washing dishes. Then after a long pause. "Yes."

 

Makoto blinked. He wasn't sure what he expected, but the answer surprised him. But it wasn't just the answer, but something underneath it, a current that told Makoto something was off.

 

Makoto didn't want to push, but he felt something twist in his gut and he found himself talking. "I-it wasn't bad, was it."

 

"No," Haru said, his voice soft, a little sad, a little something that held the same sound as Sousuke's voice from last night.

 

Makoto opened his mouth and then closed it. He wanted to ask, but he was afraid to, afraid what this would all mean, afraid how everything would change.

 

"I'll make lunch," Haru said, his voice firm and steady.

 

"Thanks, Haru-chan," Makoto said cheerfully, trying to shove their world back into the normalcy that was safe. The place where there were no love confessions or words that sounded too tender, too delicate, too breakable.

 

Neither of them said any more about Sousuke.

 

\---

 

"Why did you turn Haru down?"

 

"What?" Makoto's eyes widened as he stared at Rin across the diner table. It was the first time he had seen Rin since the party at Haru's. He had been nervous, but Rin's question made him nervous for a whole different reason.

 

"You love him, don't you?" Rin asked, and though his voice was demanding, he looked away.

 

The simple answer was yes. Makoto loved Haru. At first it had been simply a friendship and loyalty that grew from being childhood friends, of understanding each other on a deep leveler than anyone else. But then things changed and Makoto found himself caught up in too many feelings, so many feelings.

 

"It's complicated," Makoto said, smiling.

 

Rin balled up his fist. "Why?" He gritted his teeth and then suddenly Rin was on his feet. "Why is it complicated! Why does any of that matter? It's love, shouldn't that be enough?"

 

Makoto stared up at Rin surprised and he felt wonder fill his chest. Because Rin was staring down at him with tears in his eyes and so much pain and emotions that Makoto wasn't sure if he was ever supposed to see. And Makoto knew, at that moment, just how much everything was falling apart. And he didn't want this. He didn't.

 

But he found himself reaching out. "Rin."

 

Rin jerked up and then quickly wiped at his tears. "Sorry, I have to go."

 

He quickly shoved some money on the table and ran out of the diner. Makoto watched him go.

 

\---

 

Makoto's hands were trembling as he stood outside Haru's door. He had never felt like this when standing outside Haru's house, but what he was about to do would change everything. But it had all changed long ago. With him and Sousuke at university, the studying together, the visits to the coffee shop, being there as he went to physical therapy. The midnight calls with Rin over Skype, the emails, the visits that seemed to grow more intense each time, and Haru, the closeness that had changed into something so deep and endless that even Makoto couldn't deny it and Haru didn't even bother to. All of them had changed.

 

Makoto took a deep breath and walked into Haru's house, calling out a greeting.

 

"In here," Rin said, his voice agitated.

 

Makoto walked into the living room where Haru and Rin were sitting across from each other. Their bodies were stiff with tension, but somehow leaning towards one another, as if pulled by imaginary strings. For a minute, Makoto could only watched them.

 

"Makoto," Haru said, his voice worried.

 

Makoto shook his head and then joined them.

 

Rin shifted in his sit. "What's going on?" He said, his voice filled with irritation and concern.

 

Makoto gently shook his head. "Not until Sousuke arrives."

 

"I'll make tea," Haru said.

 

It was another ten minutes before Sousuke showed up, but it felt like an eternity. When Sousuke came in and saw them all sitting around the table, Makoto could tell he was tempted to turn right back around and walk out of the door.

 

"Sousuke please," Makoto said.

 

Sousuke jerked at the intimate use of his name and suddenly he was walking forward and plopped down on the ground.

 

Makoto gave him a grateful smile.

 

Sousuke looked away.

 

Rin slammed his hand on the table. "Makoto tell me what the hell is going on?"

 

"Rin," Haru said warningly.

 

"Don't Rin me. Makoto tells me to come here because he has something important to tell me. And I'm just so-"

 

"I love you," Makoto says.

 

The entire room freezes.

 

Makoto takes a deep breath. He hadn't meant to blurt it out just like that, but now that the words were out, he refused to take them back. He looked up meeting each of their eyes one-by-one. "I love you. All three of you."

 

"Fuck!" Rin said and fell back, covering his eyes.

 

Sousuke just stared down at the table, his lips tight.

 

For a moment there was just a painful silence and Makoto felt tears press at his eyes, but they never spilled down. He just sat there and waited.

 

"Me too."

 

Makoto's eyes widened and Rin jerked up, swearing. Even Sousuke lifted his head. Haru looked at Makoto, his gaze tender. "I love you, Makoto." He then turned to Rin. "Rin." Then to Sousuke and when he looked at him there was something electric and determined in his gaze. "You too, Yamazaki."

 

Rin barked out with a rough laugh. "You can at least call him Sousuke."

 

"Rin," Makoto asked, worried, because he could hear the strain in his voice.

 

"Don't Makoto. Just-Just give me a minute."

 

"He loves you," Sousuke said, his voice a deep rumble through the room. "He always had."

 

Rin's gaze swiveled to Sousuke. "I love you!"

 

Sousuke gave him a half-smile. "I know. It took me a while to accept it. That you love me and them. I...didn't like it at first, but then I spent some time with Nanase and things happened."

 

"Mhmmm," Haru said, nodding.

 

Haru looked between them then back at Rin, but Rin didn't seem surprised by that piece of information. Makoto began to wonder just how much Rin knew after all.

 

"Then when I spent time with Makoto, I understood. I understood why you loved them and I..." He shrugged.

 

Rin's eyes widened. He looked at all three of them then back at Sousuke. "And you want this?"

 

Sousuke met Rin's eyes. "Yeah."

 

Rin's eyes widened and then a grin exploded on his face. "Fuck! Is this even real?"

 

"It can be," Makoto said and his voice only trembled a little. "If you all want this."

 

"I want it," Haru said, simply.

 

Rin nodded his head, looking dazed.

 

Sousuke looked up meeting Makoto's eyes and smiled, before turning back to Haru. "I guess I'll let you call me Sousuke."

 

Haru narrowed his eyes. "All right, Sou-chan."

 

Sousuke growled. Rin started to laugh. Makoto watched them all and finally let himself accept it.

 

He loved Haru.

 

He loved Rin.

 

He loved Sousuke.

 

And they all loved him.

 

And there was no reason to pretend anymore. Makoto let himself feel it all and he smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this fic. I'm thinking of doing other fics set in this world. We'll see.


End file.
